Andriy Voronin has come in for special praise from Liverpool
boss Rafael Benitez this week - but that may not secure him a place
in the starting line-up against Chelsea on Sunday.
In week one of the campaign, Benitez has been given the golden
opportunity to state the obvious - that his team comes first, and
everybody will be rotated.
Peter Crouch's annoyance at missing out last weekend against Aston
Villa was not surprising, but its leak to the media from within the
player's camp clearly annoyed Benitez.
Voronin's spectacular winner against Toulouse in the Champions
League will not alter the fact he is just one of four strikers
Benitez can use against Chelsea.
Benitez made six changes in Toulouse from the side that won at
Aston Villa - and he is hinting there could be as many again
against Chelsea.
'Last season we did not have a player who could change the game
like Andriy does,' said the Reds boss.
'You can see he is that sort of player. He is the type of player
who does things, with his movement and understanding, that can
change the course of difficult matches.
'People maybe didn't know the quality of Voronin, although he has
been showing that quality during the pre-season.
'Now he's scored a fantastic goal and people will start saying
`maybe he is a good player'. But we knew that he was a good
player.'
Even so, no one at Liverpool can take his place for granted.
'We do have a better squad now, more players,' Benitez
explained.
'Now I can change six players, and still everyone does a good job.
You can inter-change players - one, two or three of them; it does
not matter.
'The level of the squad now is very good - the quality and depth of
ability gives me these options.
'We changed six players in Toulouse from Saturday - and because of
the situation out there with the heat, we could well change more
for Sunday.'
Benitez will no doubt turn to the clutch of players who did not
figure at all against Toulouse, and that includes Jermaine Pennant
who was left behind on Merseyside.
Xabi Alonso, Daniel Agger and Dirk Kuyt did not get off the
substitutes' bench - while Fernando Torres, John Arne Riise and
Mohamed Sissoko figured for only short spells.
